Detalle CWE-515

CWE-515

Covert Storage Channel
Alto
Incomplete
2006-07-19
00h00 +00:00
2025-12-11
00h00 +00:00
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Nombre: Covert Storage Channel

A covert storage channel transfers information through the setting of bits by one program and the reading of those bits by another. What distinguishes this case from that of ordinary operation is that the bits are used to convey encoded information.

Descripción CWE

Covert storage channels occur when out-of-band data is stored in messages for the purpose of memory reuse. Covert channels are frequently classified as either storage or timing channels. Examples would include using a file intended to hold only audit information to convey user passwords--using the name of a file or perhaps status bits associated with it that can be read by all users to signal the contents of the file. Steganography, concealing information in such a manner that no one but the intended recipient knows of the existence of the message, is a good example of a covert storage channel.

Informaciones generales

Modos de introducción

Implementation

Plataformas aplicables

Lenguaje

Class: Not Language-Specific (Undetermined)

Consecuencias comunes

Alcance Impacto Probabilidad
ConfidentialityRead Application Data

Note: Covert storage channels may provide attackers with important information about the system in question.
Integrity
Confidentiality
Read Application Data

Note: If these messages or packets are sent with unnecessary data contained within, it may tip off malicious listeners as to the process that created the message. With this information, attackers may learn any number of things, including the hardware platform, operating system, or algorithms used by the sender. This information can be of significant value to the user in launching further attacks.

Mitigaciones potenciales

Phases : Implementation
Ensure that all reserved fields are set to zero before messages are sent and that no unnecessary information is included.

Notas de mapeo de vulnerabilidades

Justificación : This CWE entry is at the Base level of abstraction, which is a preferred level of abstraction for mapping to the root causes of vulnerabilities.
Comentario : Carefully read both the name and description to ensure that this mapping is an appropriate fit. Do not try to 'force' a mapping to a lower-level Base/Variant simply to comply with this preferred level of abstraction.

Notas

As of CWE 4.9, members of the CWE Hardware SIG are working to improve CWE's coverage of transient execution weaknesses, which include issues related to Spectre, Meltdown, and other attacks that create or exploit covert channels. As a result of that work, this entry might change in CWE 4.10.

Referencias

REF-1431

A Taxonomy of Computer Program Security Flaws, with Examples
Carl E. Landwehr, Alan R. Bull, John P. McDermott, William S. Choi.
https://cwe.mitre.org/documents/sources/ATaxonomyofComputerProgramSecurityFlawswithExamples%5BLandwehr93%5D.pdf

Envío

Nombre Organización Fecha Fecha de lanzamiento Version
Landwehr 2006-07-19 +00:00 2006-07-19 +00:00 Draft 3

Modificaciones

Nombre Organización Fecha Comentario
Eric Dalci Cigital 2008-07-01 +00:00 updated Time_of_Introduction
CWE Content Team MITRE 2008-09-08 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences, Relationships, Other_Notes, Taxonomy_Mappings
CWE Content Team MITRE 2008-10-14 +00:00 updated Description
CWE Content Team MITRE 2009-07-27 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences, Description
CWE Content Team MITRE 2009-10-29 +00:00 updated Other_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2011-06-01 +00:00 updated Common_Consequences
CWE Content Team MITRE 2012-05-11 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2014-07-30 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2020-02-24 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2022-10-13 +00:00 updated Maintenance_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-04-27 +00:00 updated Relationships
CWE Content Team MITRE 2023-06-29 +00:00 updated Mapping_Notes
CWE Content Team MITRE 2024-07-16 +00:00 updated References
CWE Content Team MITRE 2025-12-11 +00:00 updated Applicable_Platforms, Weakness_Ordinalities